Kota Kinabalu: 4,496 kg of Waste Removed from the Bay

In Malaysia, the Mobula 8.2 continues its mission alongside Marine Research Foundation. Collection, recycling, raising awareness: a review of the results as of the end of 09/2026.

Plastic waste recovered aboard the Mobula 8.2. © Marine Research Foundation

By The SeaCleaners Swiss team
Published on 14.10.2026

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Since its first cleanup on 03.04.2025, the Mobula 8.2 has removed 4,496 kg of waste from Kota Kinabalu Bay, including approximately 3.5 tons of plastic. In total, 196,522 items were counted: valuable data to understand what enters the bay and to better target our operations.

A Busy Third Quarter

Between 07 and 09/2026, the crew collected 862 kg of waste over 88 days of operations. Plastic accounted for 85.9% of the total weight collected, with beverage bottles among the most frequent items. Over the same period, 171 kg of plastic were recycled.

From Collected Plastic to Local Solutions

When the initial recycling stream was disrupted, our partner, Marine Research Foundation, reorganised the transport of recyclable materials in collaboration with the City Hall of Kota Kinabalu (DBKK) and Global Plastic Recovery. Since the start of the programme, 1,378 kg of plastic have been recycled and 849 ecobricks have been produced with the residents of Gaya.

A Local Team Gaining Autonomy

Another major milestone: in 08/2026, Mod Rafi bin Abdulatif obtained his captain's license. The Mobula now operates with two qualified captains. On land, the educational programme launched in 07/2026 has already reached 1,167 students across 5 schools, notably including visits to our recycling partner RIPPLE.

The next step? Consolidating operations, continuing our initiatives in schools, and developing new collection solutions on the beaches of Sabah.

Source: Mobula 8.2 donor report, 01 to 09/2026.